Backtable VI Podcast: Techniques for Effective Vessel Prep
The toolbox for vessel preparation is rapidly expanding. Are you keeping up? In this episode, host Dr. Sabeen Dhand is joined by Dr. Jay Matthews, interventional cardiologist (Manatee Memorial Hospital) and Dr. Michael Siah, vascular surgeon (UT Southwestern), to explore the latest innovations and strategies in vessel prep.
Podcast Contributors:
- Dr. S. Jay Mathews is the director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, the co-director of the Structural Heart Program, and the director of the PERT Program with Manatee Memorial in Sarasota, Florida.
- Dr. Michael Siah is the Director of Limb Salvage at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.
- Dr. Sabeen Dhand is a practicing interventional radiologist with PIH Health in Los Angeles.
Synopsis:
The discussion opens with a look at new additions to their practice over the past few years, including bioresorbable scaffolds for below-the-knee interventions and retrievable stent technologies. Both experts emphasize the role of imaging—particularly CT angiography and IVUS—and discuss how renal disease impacts their use of contrast during diagnosis and intervention. They then walk through how they assess vessels on angiography or IVUS to decide when and where to use specialty tools. From intravascular lithotripsy for managing dense calcification to serration angioplasty, the conversation highlights how the doctors decide to use specialty balloons and devices. The episode also touches on the practical challenges of balancing device cost with treatment effectiveness. The physicians break down the latest specialty balloons and devices and touch on their own experiences with them. To close, the guests share what emerging technologies they’re most excited about and how these devices could change their day-to-day practice. Whether you’re in IR, cardiology, or vascular surgery, this episode offers a valuable roadmap to the current and future state of vessel preparation.
